The U.S. Geological Survey says that a strong earthquake has hit off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, rocking the capital and shaking buildings as far away as Mexico City and El Salvador.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was a possibility of a local tsunami, within 100 or 200 miles of the epicenter, but they were not issuing an immediate warning for the broader region. The magnitude-7.5 quake, about 20 miles deep, was centred off the town of Champerico.

People fled buildings in Guatemala City, in Mexico City and in the capital of the Mexican state of Chiapas, across the border from Guatemala.